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On February 16, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced the cancellation of various projects, claiming that USAID’s $21 million funding for voter turnout in India had been terminated. This led the ruling BJP to accuse the opposition Congress of foreign influence in India’s elections.
In a Miami speech, Trump questioned the need for such funding, suggesting it was aimed at influencing elections. However, records reviewed by The Indian Express reveal that the $21 million was actually allocated for Bangladesh, not India. Of this, $13.4 million has already been distributed to promote political engagement among Bangladeshi students ahead of the January 2024 elections.
The controversy involves two USAID grants managed by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), which received a total of $486 million from USAID, including $22 million for Moldova. The grant for Moldova, awarded in September 2016, aims to enhance political inclusivity and runs until July 2026. In contrast, the $21 million grant highlighted by DOGE was specifically for Bangladesh.
(Newsroom staff only edited this story for style from a syndicated feed)
